PATHANAMTHITTA: The Pulayar-Cheramar Sangama Vedi has called upon the government to take steps to check “misuse” of funds earmarked for Scheduled Castes by the local self-government institutions.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, vedi leaders I.K. Raveendraraj and K.N. Achuthan alleged corruption in a day care centre-cum-old age home project of the district panchayat at the Anchumala SC colony at Kunnida near Adoor.
The district panchayat has constructed the day care centre and a road leading to it at a cost of Rs.56.5 lakh.
Seeking probe into the issue, the vedi leaders alleged that there was reason to suspect fund diversion in the construction of the centre in a private property.
Addressing another press conference at the Press Club here, Anchumala Colony Residents’ Association leaders C. Kochucheruckan and N. Gowri alleged that the corruption charges were politically motivated.
They said that the road constructed to the colony was a boon to the people there. They said a good number of women at the colony were working at the nearby cashew factories and the day-care centre would be of great relief to them while going for work.
Ms. Gowri said construction of a road to the hitherto inaccessible colony at a remote corner of the Adoor taluk was a long-pending demand of the residents.
The district panchayat initiated the day-care centre-cum-road project with the sole intention of opening a development corridor to the colony, they said.
Ajay C.Pillai, a local resident and action council leader, said the land for constructing the day-care centre was relinquished by three persons and a form for the same was submitted to the revenue authorities in 2006 itself as per the provisions of the Land Relinquishment Act.
Mr. Pillai alleged that the statements in the Local Audit Report that the centre was constructed in a private property in a non-populated area were false, raising doubts over the intention of the auditor.
Mr. Kochucheruckan said as many as 65 families, most of them belonging to the Kurava community, were residing in the colony for the several years and, hence, the mention “non-populated” area in the audit report was with a view to generating “controversy”.